Hawk Wing gave Aidan O'Brien his 16th Group One success of the season by beating the seven-furlong course record in the Aga Khan Studs National Stakes at the Curragh yesterday.
Michael Kinane was content to sit in last place of the seven runners in the early stages of this £250,000 event, but once Hawk Wing was pulled to the outside to make his challenge, the race was over in a matter of strides.
Hawk Wing, the well-backed 8 to 15 favourite, headed the David Loder-trained Naheef (9 to 4) just inside the final furlong and strode away to score by 2-1/2 lengths to give O'Brien his fourth win in this race in the last six years. His time of one minute, 20.90 seconds was almost nine seconds faster than last year.
Another of O'Brien's three runners, Sholokhov, kept on well after settling the pace to hold on to third place, a further 11/2 lengths away. He is likely to go for the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster next month where the mile should suit him well.
Kinane was suitably impressed with Hawk Wing, saying: "He has loads of stamina in his pedigree and I'm looking forward to next year with him." Bookmakers Coral Eurobet sliced his price for the Sagitta 2,000 Guineas from 20 to 1 to 6 to 1 joint favourite with Dubai Destination. Paddy Power go the same price, Cashmans are a more generous 10 to 1.
Dubai Destination, trained by Loder, had brushed aside O'Brien's Rock Of Gibraltar with consummate ease in Doncaster's Champagne Stakes two days earlier, even allowing for the 4lb the winner received.
"That's his fourth run of the season so he has plenty of experience. The Dewhurst is there but we might not run him, there are plenty of others as well," said O'Brien.
"It's very hard to beat a horse of that class. He's like a four-year-old already, he's so much size and scope."
Dettori, who rode Naheef, said: "The trip was a bit too short, he wants further now."
O'Brien earlier scored with Salentino in the opening Liffey EBF Maiden at odds of 9 to 10 by 3/4 of a length from Colourfast. "He was beaten by a decent horse on his debut on softish ground and this faster going suited him better," said O'Brien.
John Oxx gained some compensation for the disappointing run of Pugin in the Rothmans Royals St Leger when Dearly lifted the Group Three Aga Khan Studs Blandford Stakes.
Oxx said Pugin ran "a little bit flat" when unplaced in the Doncaster Classic won by Milan.
He now plans to run Pugin, who had run Jefferson Smurfit Memorial Irish St Leger winner Vinnie Roe to a head on his previous race, in a Listed race at the Curragh on October 14th.
Magic Cove and Miss Beabea rewarded good support for their Listed races later on the Curragh card as last year's National Stakes winner Beckett made a belated return to action.
Escaping his Group One penalty, Beckett started 7 to 4 favourite for the Aga Khan Studs Solonaway Stakes but was run out of it by Magic Cove as they dominated the finish.
"Beckett ran well but just got tired in the last half furlong," remarked Aidan O'Brien as the favourite went down by a head to Magic Cove, who now heads to Tipperary next month for the Group Three Concorde Stakes.
